Wounded
by Comicbookfan
Summary: Robin was taken in by a very abusive man when he was nine. Now that he has to start high school, his new friends--who he didn't want in the first place--are growing closer to his secret. And he's trying not to fall in love...and failing. RobinStarfire AU.
1. Prologue: Something About Robin

Those Little Silver Linings

Summary: (AU) Robin lives with an abusive man (NOT BRUCE) that adopted him when he was nine years old. He is going to High School, and what happens when his new friends are getting closer to his secret, and...he's figuring out that he can't hide from love anymore? RobinStarfire

AN/ Yay! New story! This one is a take on the classic TT abuse story. But...it's a little different. And, yes, the abusive man is not from the cartoon or comics. And this is Robin, I changed his name to Radu because I wanted to get into his Romanian back ground more. And I took more than one liberty on his back ground, not too much, though. And yes- at least Robin's father was from a Romani background.

And what he was wearing when he was found

Bruce is not here yet.

Radu Grayson Du Farge-Robin

Koriand'r Royl-Starfire

Raven Roth-Raven

Victor Stone-Cyborg

Garfield Logan-Beast Boy

Slade Wilson-Slade

Grant Wilson-Ravager

Joseph Wilson-Jericho

Rose Wilson-Second Ravager

* * *

"ROBIN!" Robin sat up straight in bed, aggravating his wounds, and he winced.

Right...it was going to be his first day at a real school.

Carefully he got out of bed, clad in only his boxers and his armless shirt.

Looking at himself in the mirror, he winced.

His fading black eye was still there, though less pronounced, and there was also a place on his nose where there were many cuts and scratches from the many times his sunglasses had turned on him and snapped because of a particularly nasty blow to the face. There were also a few fresh bruises on his face and hands, and a few places where his back hadn't even stopped oozing blood.

Carefully he covered some of his prominent bruises with beige makeup, and stopped his back from bleeding with difficulty, put on dark wash denim shorts that reached over his knees, and a clean button up collared white and blood red shirt.

Running his fingers through his spiky hair, he put on shoes with no socks and exited his "house".

Looking back at the ugly, dirty house, he ran to school.

Radu Grayson. That was his name-his original name. Now everybody called him Robin-he made sure of that.

He had been born to Mary and John Grayson, two Romanian gypsies who had given up that lifestyle to join a circus. He had been born there. He had loved it.

It had become glaringly obvious that he was a brilliant child by the time he was two-speaking in halting sentences in both English and Romani, and being able to perform a perfect front flip, back flip, and throwing with such accuracy that his father had taught him how to throw blunt knives, as well as perform on a high wire.

By the time he was three he had a knowledge of martial arts, and by the time he was four he was performing daring feats on the trapeze with his parents as the Flying Grayson's. Thus little Radu grew up with the thoughts that chalk was something to dip hands in, that lions and tigers were harmless animals and all those unusual thoughts that you get from growing in a circus.

Of course he acted older than his age as well.

Everything was going great...but then...his parents died. He had just done his signature four-time flip and was waiting for his parents to come. Brooding about something someone had said.

They had been fighting with Mister Haley, that he knew, and someone had said something about harm coming to the performers.

He decided he would tell them after the show.

But it was too late, as he saw the trapeze strings fraying and screamed to his parents to not get on, but they were already falling. He heard a sickening CRACK, and ran down to them as fast as he could.

Running to the side of his mangled parents, he noted that his father was killed on impact. But his mother still breathed.

"Mama! Te rog!" (Mother! Please!)

"AJUTOR! AJUTOR!" (Help! Help!) He called out to the audience as police ran in.

Her eyes fluttered, and suddenly opened almost sleepily.

"Mama!"

She sighed softly, and said an old proverb that he had heard time and time again. Radu would always wonder what drove her to have those be her last words.

"Bine face, bine gasesti." (You do good, you find good.)

"La reverde, Robin."

And then she repeated the same phrase in english-"Goodbye, Robin."

Radu sat, with her head in his lap, stroking her hair and letting her blood seep over him like a blanket.

Repeating over and over- "Imi pare rau. Imi pare rau. Imi pare rau."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

He barely noticed his fingers being pried from her hair, and barely noticed his petite eight year old body being carried away. He just kept repeating the same words over and over. He didn't even notice until much later that she had chosen to call him his pet name- the English "Robin" and not Radu.

He was sent to a poor Romani orphanage because Mister Haley, the circus ringleader, was unable to take care of him,and the United States, which was where the circus was just then, wanted nothing to do with the grieving Romanian orphan. He had bad clothes, because he had only been wearing a simple brown vest and some decorative jewelry, and also a loincloth like thing with shorts under it.

Only a few weeks later, he was adopted by a kind seeming man.

His name was Bruce Wayne, and he was rich, and though very aloof, he was nice enough. Radu had insisted he call him Robin. Bruce taught 'Robin' how to fight.

Then, one day, some people broke into the house. They were Police officers, and they were saying that Bruce had drugs stashed all over the place.

Someone had reported him _wrong_. Robin didn't know what to do as he was led away from the second relatively happy home, so, suddenly, he began to remember what he had learned.

Unable to move due to strong hands grasping him, Robin swung his foot backwards to a place he knew hurt alot. The police officer doubled over in pain and Robin slipped away, kicking him in the head as hard as he could. Even though he had minimal strength, the officer crumpled.

Another officer ran toward him, trying to grab him. Robin swung around and kicked him in the solar plexus as hard as he could. Robin smiled as the man lost his breath, and then kicked him again, and the second officer crumpled.

Performing impressive flips and punches and kicks, he was still unable to win. So, a week later, nine year old Robin was sent away, with Bruce having been framed an irresponsible adoptive father, who, though he was not in possession of any sort of drugs, was still a possibly dangerous man, due to the fact that he had taught his son many unnecessary things about self defense. Since Robin was not yet legally adopted, he was sent away.

And was later adopted by a man. The Man wasn't incredibly nice, and Robin was always wondering why he had adopted him. He supposed it was for the money that came to adopted children from the Government.

The man, when they got to his new home, was away for many days at a time, and he would shout at Robin if he didn't do everything perfectly, if he didn't talk in English, though Romani was his first language, and when he cried the Man would hit him. Robin didn't know it was wrong. He thought that the Man must just be mean and punish more than others, but also that it was a normal thing for a man to viciously hit a child with belts and chains, and endanger their health every day.

He had gone to a bad Middle School where he barely learned- or passed, considering all the times he ditched school. And he had learned that, yes, his guardian was a little extreme-giving him time limits to do stuff, making him clean things, hitting him so hard that he cried, even, and screaming and shouting at him, calling him worthless and idiotic, and many other worse things, saying he should be killed or kill himself. There was more than one time that he wanted to do it.-but he had never really thought of him as an abuser. He hated him with all his heart, though.

Nobody would be able to see it by the way he carried himself, and by the way he hid his desperate and bruised eyes behind sunglasses, that he had barely any self-confidence, that he longed for friendship, but he just couldn't get it because of fear that he would be "taken" from them. Nobody would know what Wade Largesten did to him, he said, steeling himself for the day ahead.

He wouldn't let anybody figure out why he hid from them.

He wouldn't let anybody even suspect the way he was treated at home.

He couldn't let anybody figure out that he had a reason not to smile.


	2. Chapter 1: Worthless

Robin Wings Hurting

AN/ I'm going to change the title again, soon. Oh, and yes, the play WILL be a large part of the story!!

By the way, this is borderline T, because of the abuse. Don't worry, he does not get sexually abused, but brutally physically abused.

* * *

Robin "put on his face", smooth as stone, and walked into the large school.

Pushing his sunglasses a little higher on his face, he walked inside, his longish, thin black jacket, going right to where he could sit on it, and his dark wash jeans hid him.

Going on towards his locker, he carefully opened it, and was starting to put his work inside when.

"Hey." Robin almost lost his cool by jumping, but caught himself, just as his back was rippling, getting ready.

Robin turned around, and had to look up.

There was a very tall, African American boy in front of him. His muscles were not lean, like Robin's, but prominent and hard.

All Robin could do was flush, and stammer quickly, and softly, to the boy...

"How _old_ are you?" Robin, having had his birthday during summer (forgotten by his "guardian" who did not guard, of course) was a bit older than everyone else in freshman year, at 15 years.

"Well, that's a nice question. I'm sixteen."

"Oh. Why?"

"I would only be fifteen, but my birthday's in summer. And don't think I slacked, or did anything wrong, or that I'm learnin' disabled (though there ain't anything wrong with that), cos I'm not. I was in a car crash. A pretty bad one, last year, when I shoulda gone to Freshman year. I stayed in the hospital for months."

"Oh."

"So, I'm Victor Stone. Your locker partner."

"I'm Robin Grayson." Robin said politely, not in the mood to talk.

"Nice to meet you" They said in unison, and shook hands.

After putting everything in their lockers, Robin walked away without a word to the friendly boy, hiding his bruised hands in his pockets.

Lingering around the school a little, he walked toward his first class when the bell rang.

Biology.

Victor was there, as well as other people he did not care to look at. All but the one that sat next to him. She wore a baggy black shirt and old looking black jeans. Her skin was incredibly pale, her eyes were the oddest purple color, as was her hair.

She seemed uninterested in him, as was the way he liked it.

Robin then went back to staring into space.

He barely noticed when the teacher walked in.

The only time he noticed was in roll call. All he noted was Victor Stone, and the girl who was sitting next to him-Raven Roth.

And then his name.

"Radu Grayson Largensen?"

There were many snickers at the uncommon name, but Robin tried desperately not to blush.

"Call me Robin."

"All right."

Robin barely noticed the rest of class.

* * *

His next class was English, which he didn't care for either.

And the next class was the one that really worked out.

Math.

Robin Grayson absolutely adored math. It was his favorite subject, with no doubt, and he was good at it. With his constantly worsening life, Math was the only thing that never changed.

The class was wonderful. It was all review.

Peacefully he exited the class and walked toward his next class...

Drama.

He stared at his schedule in total shock.

_Drama?_

He must have been drugged or something, or being tortured. to choose that, or...maybe it was just the last elective left other than knitting. Yeah, that was it.

He hoped he wasn't a horrible actor.

He slipped into the room.

There was a young looking boy there, with forest green eyes and hair.

Victor was there.

So was Raven.

And many other people.

There was also another girl...he raised his eyebrow. She was very, very, very beautiful, but in a strangely fake way. She had short blond hair with not a strand out of place, it seemed to have been sprayed into place. She had pretty light blue, but dull, eyes, and her skin was tanned, with no blemishes. It was very obvious she had put some sort of makeup to hide everything un-perfect. She was like a...a... Barbie Doll.

She wore a very short mini-dress that ended at about half a foot below her pelvis, and was an ugly color of pink. She wore pink pumps as well.

She smiled at him seductively.

He did not smile back and turned away.

The Drama teacher and some other people came inside.

He noticed there was somebody sitting beside him, but her face was hidden by a curtain of bright red hair. He looked away. The teacher began talking about how they were doing a musical that year.

_Nooo...why me?_ Robin thought miserably. She took roll call, and then asked everyone to stand and sing.

Robin was horrified.

"Koriand'r Royl, will you please sing this for us.

"All right." The girl next to him said innocently.

Robin almost gasped when she got up and re-did her ponytail high above her head. She was gorgeous. And not in a fake way. He skin was tanned, but obviously from the sun, and there were some places on her arms where there were scabs, and there was a bruise next to her lip, and her lips were slightly chapped.

But her eyes were light green pools of innocence, and she wore a long purple cloth skirt that went over her knees, and a purple t-shirt with silver rimming it.

She sang very well, though off tune at times, her voice was gorgeous, and had a strangely lilting sound to it.

Finally, when he had to sing, he almost tripped, and he sang, as well as he could, the incessantly annoying song they had chosen.

_Can you feel the love tonight?_

_The peace the evening brings?_

_The world for once in perfect harmony..._

_With all its living things..._

And kept singing.

He thought he sounded nice, and so did the teacher, who clapped him on the back and smiled.

Robin had always been told his voice was "beautiful".

He had sung at the circus, in front of everybody, but had never thought he was any good.

Everyone else had.

And, of course, he had gesticulated in what he thought were perfectly ridiculous gestures, but obviously were enough.

After the rest of the people sang, the teacher, who had been grading them, obviously, to give them their parts.

"Well, guys, you all did great. But, I personally think that these are who will be leading...

Robin knew nothing about the play.

"So, as the leads..."

"Robin Grayson will be Jamie!"

"Koriand'r Royl will be Diana!"

"And as the leading supporting characters..."

"Raven Roth will be Wynter!"

"Garfield Logan will be Season!"

"Victor Stone will be Jonathon!"

"And as the supporting characters..."

"James Flatstone as Ralph!"

"Maria Olandi as Issabella!"

And the list went on.

Robin was too shocked to listen.

He was the fricking main character?

The LEAD?

But he couldn't even act!

Hell, he wasn't good at anything!

He didn't even know what the show was about!

He walked out of the room in a daze, with his script in hand, and suddenly felt a pang of sadness as he heard Victor say to...Garfield "Man, I can't wait 'till Dad sees this!" While brandishing his script in the air.

He wished he had a father who would be proud of him if he told him he had gotten the lead.

He didn't have either.

* * *

Finally, Robin was walking home from school. He decided that school had been alot better than home. By plenty.

Sighing, the boy decided to take all the time he could to get home.

While he was going "home" he thought of the play.

It was a musical involving songs that were both old, and many that were newer. Pop songs. Rock songs. R&B/Soul. Stuff like that.

It was about a person named Jamie, and another named Diana (him and Koriand'r). They were in High School, obviously, and Diana was extremely poor and lived in an ugly trailer with barely enough to eat. Jamie was extremely rich and lived in a house devoid of warmth and love.

Diana was a very sad person who hid behind a smile, and optimism. Jamie was a depressed boy who took his depression out on himself, by cutting and not eating enough. Obviously, they found each other, and a group of friends.

They passed through a large number of obstacles together, but eventually they had their happy ending.

Robin started coming up the stairs to his house tentatively. He envied Jamie. He knew he was pathetic, envying somebody who was not even real. But he wished he could have a happy ending. He wished he could break out of the place that he was forced to call home. Away from the man who said he was his guardian. He wished. He turned the key, and went inside. He worked on his homework for an hour, and then simply sat and read. Until, suddenly, some one came into the room, and, grabbing him by his bruised wrist, hauled him out to the "living room".

Shouting out slightly, Robin suddenly found himself in a closed room with dust and dirt all around him, and broken glass was abundant on the floor. He felt his jacket be ripped off, and opened his tightly shut eyes to see a very big and angry man. Standing right above him. Looking angry.

Robin knew why the Man hurt him. It was because the Man was very badly antisocial. He was a psycho as well. The Man punched Robin in the face so hard he stumbled into the wall. Thus the Man took off his belt and laid it onto the boys' back, time and time again.

Robin shouted out in pain, crying.

"Weakling! Crying already! What are you, a child? Go to Hell you fucking little piece of shit! You deserve everything that comes to you!!" The Man roared, tossing the boy onto the couch like a ragdoll.

Robin sobbed in pain. The harsh words the Man said to him didn't help either. He didn't know what sort of other punishment the Man had in store for him. He saw his shaking hands and tried to clench them. He could not. Suddenly he screamed out, trying to get up from the couch.

"No!!" The boy sobbed, but was held down by strong hands, and suddenly, he cried out in pain again, as the sharp edge of a knife dug into his skin, and ripped through it.

"YOU DESERVE THIS!!" The Man roared as he dug his knife into the screamed and sobbing boys' shoulder. After doing it 2 times with both shoulders the Man lifted the boy up and growled to the half unconscious youngster...

"You deserve this. Repeat after me..."I deserve this".

"HELL NO!" Robin screamed.

SLAP

"DAMN YOU!!" Robin screamed as tears coursed down his cheeks.

SLAP

"I deserve this." Robin whispered regretfully.

SLAP

Robin cried out.

"LOUDER!"

SLAP.

"I deserve this!" His voice was choked by sobs of pain and rage.

SLAP!

"LOUDER!!"

"I DESERVE THIS!!"

And as he was let go, unconscious, to the ground, he didn't want to believed it.

But he did, anyway.


	3. Chapter 2: Late Nights at the Park

**Forever Wounded**

**AN/ **Hi guys! How are you! I'm really glad with the reviews for last chapter, so...This is an incredibly short chapter by the way. The next one'll be longer. This one is just a little filler chapter.

* * *

Robin hurt.

He hurt a lot.

His shoulders sent sharp pains throughout his whole body, and his bruises throbbed.

Badly.

He stumbled out of his bed, almost but not quite falling. Blood oozed from what seemed like every small pore of his body and that terrified him. But he hadn't died over night, so he had to be okay.

Thank God.

He splashed water onto his dirty hands and took a shower. It was the most painful thing he had experienced in a long time.

He covered his bruises with a very cool thing called Bruise be Gone which was guaranteed to leave even belt bruises gone in four days, tops. He bandaged his arms.

And he slid down the wall of his bathroom, feeling totally defeated. It was not a nice feeling.

* * *

He did his homework the rest of the day, not stopping until the Man got home. He did it very obsessively, making everything right and perfect. He liked perfection a lot. And he had to get everything right, because High School was the real thing. It was what got you into good Universities. It had to be perfect. Because some day, he would be wealthy and famous and live with a nice woman in a nice house with nice kids-a perfect family. And the Man would be nobody. He would probably be rotting in jail. Or Hell. Either was fine, though Robin hoped for the latter.

This idea made him pale, because he had just wished for death upon another human and he was not supposed to do that. Nobody was supposed to do that. He felt tears sting his eyes and roll down his cheeks as the pain from last night came back.

He fell asleep under his bed, clasping his hands together tight. Hoping and praying that he wouldn't get hurt.

He didn't, not that day.

The next day he did go to school, because he had to.

His heart wasn't in the work, though, so neither was his mind, and it kept wandering.

* * *

The night after that he headed out to the park and he sat on a bench. It was a warm night, and it smelled nice. Robin felt the world had betrayed him, because how could there be beautiful things in the world, but nobody good and beautiful enough to help him?

He didn't know.

He slept there, on the gravel, with no cushioning, because it was closer to school anyway, and he had nothing to lose. Nothing but his life and maybe his sanity, because his innocence had already gone down the drain.

So he lay there, and that morning with the internal alarm he seemed to have set into his mind he woke up. And he went to school. That day he worked as hard as he could, just so he could escape himself.

He had Drama. It wasn't half bad, really, even if he didn't like it that much.

He supposed he would, eventually, because not going by the rules of the world and thus the fact that he had to love Drama just was not done.

So he sang to himself all the way home from school, trying to get the love of Musical Theatre into himself.

It did not work very well at all.

That night he slept at his 'home' again. But his home was not there, not really. In a way, he was homeless, because his home had no love, so where was his home? Nowhere. It was that simple, and those were the cold, hard facts.

The couple of nights after that he slept at parks, on benches, in the bus top, anywhere near school, with his backpack, and thus avoided the beatings. But he still felt strangely empty inside. Yes, empty, that was the only way to put it. Empty. Even though it was a stupid and cliched way to say he was unhappy.

* * *

A couple of nights later, when his spirits were at a high (which was truly not that high), he decided to read. He did like reading a lot, he really did. It just didn't appeal to him those days as much as it appealed to him in the old days, when things were not much better.

So he read a thick book. And it intrigued him. A lot.

It had some very interesting things to say, and it made him think the Author must have been some kind of genius, because it was written very nicely.

It was called _Anna Karenin_ by _Leo Tolstoy_, and one of the famous quotes from it, he gathered, was 'All happy families are alike. All unhappy families are unhappy in their own way.'

Was that still true if you didn't have a real family?


	4. Chapter 3: God is Great?

**Forever Wounded**

AN- Finally, I'm getting around to chapter four. It is still summer break. Have you ever had a craving for homework or school, or work assigned by a teacher during the time when you really shouldn't? Yes, that is happening to me right now. There is going to be very little else about _Anna Karenin_ except for maybe a quote or two. I just had to give you the impression that he is a smart guy. He even reads depressing Romance novels! By the way,** _some changes to chapter one, Robin was no longer adopted illegally! _**

This chapter has some twisted humor in it in the first part...have fun. Sorry about the really long Author's note. And I'm sorry the chapters aren't picking up so well. I'm kind of waffling around here...

* * *

Chapter Four: Bleed

Robin woke up feeling, as he had so many times since he was nine years old...like shit.

It was so normal, it was a bit sad.

Since the day four or five weeks ago when he had read Anna Karenin, he had not been beaten once. Slapped around a bit, yes, but not enough to bruise badly and leave him feeling...like he was feeling right now. Until yesterday, where, sadly, the Man had not been drunk enough to just hit him a little and pass out at his feet. So, he had been hit around a bit more than all the other times in the week. Leaving him with some bruises, and also one huge bruise adorning his whole right cheek that not even concealer would hide without making it look like...concealer. So he covered the _beautiful_ green, red, blue, and black mess that was his face with as much concealer as would look normal. Because just the Bruise be Gone wasn't going to work that day.

It still ended up looking abnormal, so he just put on enough to totally hide it, and make it look like he had gotten a mutated tan at one particular part of his face in the process.

The joy.

It hurt like hell too.

Though...even hell would be better than how he was feeling that day.

And a bunch of other times in his miserable and pathetic life.

Thoroughly and completely depressed.

* * *

Robin pulled the hood of his hoodie way up, which, along with his dark jeans and white sneakers that had since turned a less then appealing shade of gray made him look...like something...depressing. Yeah. He was much too caught up in his own problems to compare himself to what people probably thought of him, wandering around in late Summer with a hoodie and jeans.

He passed through his first four classes as he usually did, looking totally nerdy with a completely attent look on his face (which nobody could see) and the correct answer to every single stupid question that he had already studied because he had no life. A fact that everybody could see and wholeheartedly agree to.

At Lunch he did what he always did, went to the Library. Went to the Library and sat there, making sure to eat all of his Lunch, which he supposed was mutant and didn't care, because it was possibly the only food he would have all day, even if it did nearly cross the lines of inedibility (if that was even a word).

He simply sat there and pretended to read 'A Tree Grows in Brooklyn', which he was not interested in in the least.

"Bored?" A soft voice, monotonous but obviously a girl's, asked.

He tried not to jump and ended up rolling his shoulders to the front and back before looking up at whoever had just spoken. The girl wore a hoodie quite like his, only it was a very dark blue, and she wore black cargo pants. But he saw an abnormally pale face behing it, complete with hair so black it looked purple and eyes of the same color.

"Raven." It was not a question.

"Robin." As much of a statement as his.

"Good job at Drama today." And she left.

Left before he could ay a word, to eat with whichever group of people she sat with (they were nothing like each other but also from Drama, he knew) though she hadn't spent Lunch with anybody for the first three weeks of school, and at first it had probably only been because they were the only people she knew, being as antisocial as him.

Though he supposed he wasn't really antisocial, he just never got a chance.

* * *

He passed through the rest of the day with a heavy feeling of melancholy resting on his shoulders. Crushing him (metaphorically, of course).

After school he went to his room immediately. Like every day, and did his homework, only without as much zest as the other days. Why was he even thinking about College and all that crap? He probably wouldn't even make it to adulthood. Let alone the end of school.

"RICHARD! RICHARD!! COME OUT HERE YOU PIECE OF SHIT!!" That was his cue.

When the Man was drunk, and often when he was not, he did not seem to remember Robin's real name, and thus called him Richard. Robin truly had no idea where he had gotten Richard, because he looked nothing like a Richard, thankyouverymuch.

Robin tried to stay down low for a time, praying.

_God, I'll love you forever if he passes out before he gets to me._

The door opened, and the Man's bulky form came toward him.

_That's it, I'm not talking to you. _

"DON'T HIDE FROM ME YOU WIMP!!" The man roared.

Robin hated being called a wimp. Cold fury bubbled inside of him and unleashed upon the Man. In other words, he punched him. Which was a very stupid thing to do when you are a five foot four acrobat facing off against a six foot five weight lifter who hates you. But he did a very good job as a thin trickle of blood rolled from the man's mouth. Along with a fresh wave of anger.

CRACK

Robin fell to the floor clutching his stomach and gasping. But even before he could catch his breath he was puched again. Harder. In the exact same place. Robin felt fear crash over him as he gulped for air.

BAM

A kick at the side finally made the wetness in Robin's eyes spill over, making the man laugh as much smaller boy gasped for air.

CLUNK

The big finale, right as the man went to the living room and collapsed onto the couch. And the finale? A foot brought down hard on his stomach.

Robin gasped for air hoarsely for almost five minutes, writhing on the ground in a way he would never wish to do again. Finally, he let out a cough, spitting out some blood.

He let out a strange cough sob hybrid, crawling to his room. He didn't even get to the his bed, but collapsed, out cold on the floor.

The next day-or was it the next day-his eyes opened wearily. Pain washed over him as he stood up, wobbly feeling.

He stumbled over to the mirror.

Breathing deeply, he raised up his shirt, showing a big bruise on his side and a GIANT one on his stomach. The one on his face had faded mostly.

He covered the big bruises with the bruise-be-gone medicine he so adored.

Quietly, he did hair and slipped out the door, forgetting about his backpack until it was too late to get it, and walked up to the school door. And tried to open it.

It didn't budge.

Oh no. Oh no. It couldn't be...he checked the calendar at the side of the school.

O dear lord.

Saturday.

He had slept straight through a whole day and a half.

He decided it would be perfectly fine for him to have a small panic attack on the spot.

"Why are you here?" A young voice spoke up.

Robin halted his unnecessarily fast breathing and turned around. And looked down. He vaguely remembered the blond haired, blue eyed boy. He was year young, apparently, at thirteen. He was small at five foot two. He was handsome enough. He played Season in the Play.

"Uhhh..." Robin uttered very articulately.

"Seriously, dude, talk." The boy-what was his name?-looked confused as opposed to his usual happy go lucky.

"What's your name again?" It was sort of a stupid question...he should know.

"I'm Gar, remember, Gar Logan? And your Robin. And you still haven't given me a reason for trying to force open the doors of the school. And hyperventilating when ya couldn't." Robin wondered how on Earth the boy who seemed to have the attention span of a gold fish, maybe less, could be so observant.

"Oh, well. I was, uh, sick, yesterday. Yeah. And so I was pretty knocked out on medication. So-"

"So you forgot today was Saturday?"

"Yep. And you?"

"Taking a walk. I live around here." He pointed to another side of the town.

Robin inwardly winced, outwardly keeping his face cool as stone. That part of town. No wonder Gar didn't have many friends. That part was poorer than his part of town, which was middle class. It was pretty exclusively where the Foster Homes and Orphanages were.

"Hmm. Which place do you live?"

Gar looked slightly nervous, and just a little...ashamed? "In the old Dayton Orphanage." Old was right.

Poor guy. Robin's heart went out to him. He even slightly admired him for being able to be so damn happy all the time. But Gar's home situation was probably better than his.

"Well, bye."

"Yeah dude, bye!" Gar grinned widely and sprinted over to his home.

Robin smiled. He liked him.

* * *

After the chance meeting with Gar, he walked over to the park. It looked kind of like rain coming on.

The park wasn't very nice, most of the play structures overgrown with plants, and sheltered by several very large trees. The park was nowhere near the ones Robin had played with during his brief three or four month stint with Bruce Wayne.

He missed Bruce. Well, not really. They hadn't really gotten to know each other.

He missed the way Bruce treated him, rather.

Robin sat on a swing in a large swing set.

The chains that held the swing were not very rusty, and Robin gripped them tightly at both sides.

He bowed his head, looking down at the gravel, working his knees so that he could swing slightly.

A tear ran down his face and dripped off his chin.

Quietly, he softly sang out. Subconsciously. He liked that song a lot.

_When it's cold outside_

_And you got nobody to love,_

_You'll understand what I mean_

_When I say_

_There's no way we're gonna give up..._

_And like a little girl cries in the face_

_Of a monster that lives in her dreams..._

_Is there anyone out there_

_Cause it's getting harder and harder to breathe.  
_

So true.

That song was written for him.

He laughed bitterly. Nobody would ever write song for him. Because he was unimportant.

_Dear Journal,_ He wrote in his head.

_Is there really a God? Because if there is, he can't be so great, because he damn sure isn't helping me out._


	5. Chapter 4: Kori and War

**Forever Wounded**

AN/ Sorry I took so long. I'm also very sorry about the misunderstandings that came with the last chapter. I had no idea people could be so opinionated! Oh, helpless naivete. I have to hand it to you believers-you are a very passionate group. I deleted the message in the last chapter, but it is on my Profile. Let's erase that incident from our minds and never think about it or mention it in a review again. This is actually the only story in which I talk about religious views.

IMPORTANT: **I'm sorry for all the changes to the last few chapters, but there is one more-the abusive man's name has been changed. He is now an OC. I wanted Joey to not really know Robin at all. Bear with me. Robin is Radu Grayson Largesten, Joey has never been mentioned in the story, and he won't be, even though I adore him. You could stay this story has been under revision for a little while, but this is the end of it! **

I replaced Chapter 3.

By the way, I made a Fictionpress account (Fanfiction's sister site, where you post original fiction). I'm Freeteller on there, and I already have a few stories! It'd be ultra-cool if you checked them out!

This chapter is set right after the previous.

Warning: Lack of patriotism to the USA in this chapter. I am American, and remember, these are not necessarily my views on America, just Robin's.

* * *

Chapter 5:

Robin slept in the Park that night again, and the night after that, near the rusty swing set and with the moonlight pouring onto him like silky milk.

The day after Sunday, which he was quite sure was Monday, he dragged his aching form to school, having performed a high-risk break-in into his own home for his backpack.

Needless to say, he did not have his homework, which got him thoroughly chewed out by all of his teachers throughout the first part of the day.

Then he had Art.

He liked Art.

He liked the people he had Art with.

He couldn't draw though.

He'd never been good at that.

Robin began to sketch lazily.

The sketch of a girl (they were supposed to do opposite genders) came out lopsided and ugly. She was flat, like some portrait of the Middle Ages.

He picked up another piece of paper and started again.

After his Art class, Robin headed to get his Lunch, and then to the Library.

Thus, his normal day went undisturbed...until...

"Class, we're going to be doing a group project!" His History teacher announced with terrifying glee.

He _hated _group projects with a passion.

"You guys are going to be working with one other person who I will choose. The project will be on a War. Let's start!"

Robin groaned inwardly. He didn't want to study a War. They depressed him.

"So, Robin and Kori, you'll be doing World War II."

Robin _hated _World War II. He didn't want to study about a mess of a war that had to do with racism and the birth of Nazism, and swastika's and Pearly Harbor and _Heil Hitler_'s and all that terrifying shit.

It scared him, honestly, how horribly they had treated people in concentration camps. When he first read about the gas chambers and how the officers knew when to stop when the screaming ceased, he had thrown up. And internment camps, though way better, were still stupid and opressive, a kind of 'your race did this, so you are not to be trusted.' How stupid was that?

Frankly, America was overrated.

But anyways, he drifted over to Kori. He vaguely remembered her, considering she was his love interest in the play, and the way her outlandish beauty had surprised him.

"Hello!" Good old Kori, who always did the talking.

"Where do you think we should do the project?" Kori again, bless her.

"Dunno. My...guardian...wouldn't be awfully happy if you came over, so, your place." It was a statement, not a question.

"Most wonderful!"

"Yeah..."

He didn't talk to her for the rest of class.

That day after school he headed to her house. She talked all the way, and Robin found himself liking the company. She was a nice girl. When they stopped at her house, he raised a slim eyebrow, which in no way conveyed his surprise. Kori was rich! The huge white mansion was what he would suppose a palace to look like. She quietly entered the house, and Robin found himself and his old, faded, jeans and gray hoody feeling out of place among the splendors of the house.

He shifted from one foot to the other uncomfortably.

Soon a woman bustled into the room.

Robin could see where Kori got her looks, though not quite.

The woman gave a gasp when she saw him, and then spread her mouth wide in a pearly-toothed smile.

"Greetings! Koriand'r, who is this nice young man?"

"This is Robin."

"Robin! Such a beautiful name! I am Lyand'r , and you may call me such."

"How do you do, ma'am?"

"I do well, thank you." She said graciously.

Lyand'r had different looks than Kori. For one, she was quite shorter, and instead of movie-star thin she was voluptuous and still very good looking. Her hair was the same color as Kori's, the same shocking magenta-red, though her skin was pale.

"Mother, where are you going?" Kori's Mother was made up and wore a black dress with a beautiful string of pearls.

"Oh, me? I am going to a meeting of charity. I should be back in some weeks."

Kori looked a little sad, and Robin's heart went out to her.

Heaven knew he knew what it was like to be alone.

Some time later, after they had done much of their project, Robin heard the door open again and a male voice call out in another language.

Kori called back, in what he supposed was the same language. It was very strange. The speakers of the language had high voices, even the man, and thus made the language sound light, airy, and astoundingly gorgeous, though the words were ugly.

Robin shook his head, trying to clear it. Ugh. People confused him.

"Robin? May you come down?" Kori called up.

Robin quietly slipped down the staircase.

Wow. Kori had a big family.

And an outstandingly flawless-looking one as well. He had a nagging suspicion that everybody from where she came from, or at least the natives, were scarily pretty.

There standing in front of him was a man who Kori had very obviously taken after. He was tall and slim, and was delicate boned, quite like Kori. The differences were that he sported a goatee and his hair was ink black.

Next to him was another girl who had taken after him, mostly, even with the hair. She was older than Kori, obviously, and looked the bad-girl type. And finally the youngest, who had gotten a mix of the feminine structures of his sisters and the hair of his Mother, and of course their beauty. He was oddly small for his age, and awfully thin. His hair would have flopped over his eyes if his bangs had not been in a widow's peak.

He bit his lip and Robin noticed he had braces. Robin thought sympathetically that it must be that awkward stage all kids went through, though some less than others.

"Family, this is Robin. Robin, this is Father, Myand'r," She pointed at the black haired man. "And my sister, Komand'r," She pointed to the 'bad-girl'. "And my little brother, Ryand'r." The kid.

"Hi. Robin Grayson." He said by way of introduction.

The others, save for Komand'r, smiled and murmured greeting, and scattered.

Robin had a feeling that whatever he may want to think, it was a bit of a lonely family.

After working on the project and making some small talk with Kori and Ryand'r, who was actually a very nice ten year old kid, though somewhat distrusting, Robin headed back home. He suddenly founf himself feeling awful jelousy towards Kori. Why did others get to have a family, but not him?

When he got home, he found himslef apprehended by a very unhappy and very drunk Man.

It seemed Robin had forgoten to leave him Dinner.

Ouch.

The next day, Robin hastily smeared some bruise be gone on his bruises and washed the tears from his face and the blood that mingled with them.

The day passed normally.

Lonely.

And then at Lunch time, something happened.

Kori walked towards him and stood in front of him, smiling, and said:

"Dear Robin, will you not sit with us?" She gestured toward her table.

He had already been asked that before, by Victor, then by Gar, and he was frankly getting sick of how tantalizing it seemed to sit with Raven, Kori, and Gar.

He didn't have to get close...

"Sure."


	6. Chapter 5: Poor Kids

**Forever Wounded**

AN/ Yo. Last time there was obviously some problem with the reviewing, which sucked, but thanks to everyone who read and TRIED to review, I appreciate it. I haven't updated in a while, because, well, I've been totally stressed out. Seriously. I'm a middle schooler, and I already get that really tight, hurty feeling in my chest that means I'm tense. Most people don't get that until they're in their forties. And a short time ago I had a major meltdown in Math, then in Drama because I had one in Math. It really is kind of sad.

ONWARD!!

* * *

"'Ey, babe."

A killer smile.

"Don't call me that."

Turning away coldly.

"Why not, cutie?"

An incredulous look.

"Because it's rude."

Furrowed eyebrows.

"Fuck it."

A flippant shrug.

"Excuse me?"

Turning around, looking aghast.

"Bein' rude. You're just ovah-re-actin'"

He played with his hair.

"No. I'm being a dignified person!"

She put her hand on her heart.

"Sho ya ah."

An all-knowing smirk.

"Shut up!"

She was getting angry now.

"'Ow 'bout ya press ya lips lips against mahn? I'll def'nitely shut up then."

A suggestive roll of the eyes.

"Pervert!"

She looked very angry.

"Ouch, thah' hurts mah soul baby."

A teasing look.

"Shut the fuck up!"

Now she lost control.

"Oooh, ah made the Princess swear."

He rolled his arms back a little and gave another teasing smile.

"Stop being so immature."

A look of disgust.

"Stop bein' such a wet blanket 'n' have a little fun, babe, if ya know what ah mean."

He was trying to be ven more suggestive, moving in on her.

"Oh, quit it you...you...uh...I am sorry!"

An unfinished sentence.

"CUT!"

The girl and the boy suddenly became very different people, the boy respectful and wary, and the girl loud and outgoing and cheerful.

"That was great Robin, Kori. But Robin, I'd suggest having you tone down the suggestive themes. Jamie's trying to be seductive, and he's FAILING, not succeeding. And both of you, remember, Kori, I know it's hard to have an accent over an already existing one, but you need at least a little of the New York accent Robin sports so colorfully. And you need to make your voice huskier. By the way, you are going to be sporting that accent much less when you sing, I think that just the 'ah's' and 'mah's' should stay. Try and take off some of the accent, because you're doing it well, Robin, but I spot another accent in there, something I think you already have but you cover up when you talk how you normally do. Maybe if you tone that down, it'll work better."

"Romani."

"Huh?"

"That's the accent. Romani."

"Oh. Were you born there?"

"Where?"

"Romania."

"Oh. Yeah."

"Isn't Romani a gypsy language, though?"

"Yep."

"Oh." The man looked at the clock. "Well, look how time flies." The teacher turned toward the class, his tall, skinny frame and the bright jacket he wore making him an interesting sight.

"It's time to go, class. The day after tomorrow, Gar and James, you guys are going to practice your lines and your song next time, so be prepared, OK?And anyone who hasn't read over their lines carefully and tried to memorize them should start doing that right away. The clock is ticking!"

"Yes Dr. Light."

When the Drama club exited the room, Robin almost turned left to the Library, before being stopped by somebody.

Victor, with his big easy-going smile and his slate colored eyes.

"Hey. You sat with us yesterday, remember? Do ya hate us so much that ya can't stand us. Come on, eat Lunch with humans for once." His deep voice resounded, and Robin found himself looking up at the much larger boy, smiling widely, a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"All right."

_Just for today_. He told himself.

_Just for today._

* * *

"Meat is bad for you, dude."

"It ain't!"

"Is not."

"You stay out of this, Rae!"

Raven sighed unhappily, Drama Queen style, and Robin could tell she didn't like the nickname (or pretended she didn't like it...) but tolerated it, just because.

Robin wondered how somebody as anti-social as her had been actually brought together with such a group of people. But it somehow worked. The things he could observe just by looking at them impressed him.

Loud, obnoxious, bad-joke-telling but strangely endearing Gar. Oddball, beautiful, utterly naive but at the same time wonderful Kori. Bright, sporty, handsome and loyal-seeming Vic. And of course cold, serious, sometimes just mean but at the same time reckless and lovable (in some very odd way) Raven.

He wondered where he, cool, obsessive, thoughtful Robin, who couldn't find a thing he liked about himself, came in.

But he wanted to be in, he wanted it so bad. He wanted to have friends.

He wanted everything he didn't have.

But there was a chance, some sort of slight chance that he could _be_. Be something. Be somebody.

He was confusing.

* * *

The next day he had a date with Kitten. Her real name was Katherine, and she was the disgustingly plastic girl he had noticed in Drama the first day. It started with just a night club, working his natural charm, grinding, though it sort of made him sick, how suggestive people were being.

In the end, Kitten left him because he pretty much ran to spew his guts out when they offered him a huge bottle of Beer, bigger than one of the Oktoberfest kegs. He didn't enjoy alcohol, and he most definitely did not enjoy his first and last wild night out.

The next day he was tired, cranky, and did not spend his Lunch with the Confusing People, which was what his oh so original mind dubbed them.

And that night, the Man finally noticed something-every once in a while Robin didn't come to the house at all. This caused the man to bolt and lock the doors, even though Robin had a window, a key, and had learned 'How to be an Escape Artist: 101' from some of the masters. But the beating that night hit home. More like pounded. Repeatedly. And cut. The next day he was too sore to move, and spent the say under his bed.

On Monday it was better, because he learned that he and Kori had gotten an A+ on their project about World War II.

* * *

And then, of course, came the next group project. It was for Communications, which was pretty much a class that taught people skills.

He hated it.

The project was to simply spend five hours with another person in their house.

He hated that too.

He was doing it with Gar.

...That he didn't hate.

They had chosen to do it in the Orphanage because '_My Guardian doesn't take kindly to company.'_

So there they were, heading off to the kind of pace that Robin hated and Gar was used to.

Poor kid.

* * *

AN


	7. Chapter 6: Where There is an Orphanage

**Forever Wounded**

AN/ Thank you to all my lovely reviewers!

Oh, and anybody who enjoys Romance should go to my Fictionpress page, Freeteller, because I have a very sweet story called 'Nobody Important' up. It's extremely fluffy.

And school is draining my very essence right now. I knew I shouldn't have gone to the toughest Middle School in the district, even if they call it the best. I feel like Stepford-Commi.

_And I am aware that Jericho is mute, but this is AU._

By the way, I have plans for both a prequel and sequel to this story.

This will be a slight Beast Boy/Raven. Not too much, though. You'll see how this could happen in this chapter.

*******************

This chapter: Robin meets all the orphans and thinks big thoughts.

* * *

Gar pushed open the door to the Orphanage happily.

"Hey Rob, come in!"

Robin did.

He heard a cry and saw a little girl race up to Garfield.

"Hey, guys!" Garfield grinned wolfishly.

The little girl was...very strange looking, with skin that bordered on gray and hair that was...pink.

"Who's this?" She demanded in her little voice, pointing at Robin.

"This is my friend, Robin."

"Allow me to introduce myself. Jahanara Hexivan. Call me Jinx." She vocalized swiftly.

"Hi, Jinx." Robin sputtered out, still overwhelmed and confused at how Gar had called him a friend.

Of course, he couldn't say he didn't feel a warm, fuzzy feeling deep inside.

Gar smiled. "Cool, then. You know each other. We have some work to do, now..."

The look on her face after he said that, which was totally wrong-footed, made Robin laugh slightly.

Gar looked to him with surprise. He didn't think he'd ever heard Robin laugh before.

They walked along. "Wait, what _are _we supposed to do?"

"Sign a contract that I visited your house and you let me, then I have to stay for two hours."

"Woah. This is a really dumb assignment isn't it?"

"Absolutely."

"Sooo...I guess you should meet some more of the kids."

Robin looked at him, asking him a silent question. "Yeah. I am the oldest orphan here."

Robin marveled at the way the other boy could just come out and say that word: orphan. "Ah."

They walked around the orphanage for a while before they came upon any other living beings. The Dayton Orphanage was old. Old, and ugly. The bricks outside it were painted white, and though they were coated in dust, they even looked somewhat inviting. They weren't, of course. After a little while of walking down the musty hallway, Gar stopped at a door in which music was playing inside the room it covered.

Gar opened the door quietly, and then crept up to the boy inside it.

"BOO!!!!" He screamed.

The boy, a medium sized African-American, let out a screech and hollered "OH SWEET GOD YOU SCARED ME!!!" at the top of his lungs.

Robin chuckled and Gar doubled over laughing.

"Why, Garfield, why? Why do this to me?"

"'Cause you're easy to scare. Hey, Mal, I want to introduce you to somebody."

'Mal' looked up and met the eyes of Robin. "What?! You scared me when somebody was here? What are you, crazy? You should be lucky he wasn't an adopter!" The look he passed to Gar showed it all, and Robin knew perfectly well: the Dayton Orphanage had not had an adoption in years. They were just putting on an act.

"Okay, okay, jeesh kid."

Mal turned to Robin. "Good afternoon, my name is Malcolm Duncan, I am eleven years old. How do you do, and will you please introduce yourself?" The words sounded robotic.

"Radu Grayson. Call me Robin."

Malcolm nodded and went back to his trumpet. He was good. Very good. After a look around the room, Robin and Gar stepped out and left the younger boy to make his music.

"Mal wants to make it big some day. He's got dreams, that one. Everybody has, here."

Robin nodded.

Behind another door, there were more sounds, several sounding like thumps.

Gar opened the door, and Robin was surprised to see two smallish boys pushing each other around. One had deep black eyes and longish black hair, and one could see he would become a real heartthrob someday. The other had flaming red hair and blue eyes and a rounder face that was still good-looking.

Garfield grinned. "Hey guys!"

Both of the boys stared at him. Then at Robin. Then at him again. Then they laughed.

"Sorry 'bout that, Gar!" The black haired boy chuckled.

"Oh, you think I'm not used to it?" Gar replied back.

"No, you aren't! Just pretend, 'kay bro?" That was the red haired one.

"Robin, these are Garth and Roy. They fight a lot. Live with it!"

Roy chuckled.

"I think you guys should go. I haven't finished _owning_ Aqualad, here."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "_Aqualad_?"

"That's Roy's nickname for Garth, 'cause he swims so much."

"I call Roy _Speedy_." Garth piped up cheerfully.

Robin smiled and was pulled out the door by Gar. Outside, he could hear the fighting begin again.

Gar rolled his eyes and laughed for what must have been the millionth time that day.

Outside another door, Robin could hear music start again.

"Ooooh... I think these are Joey and Tara. Wait a while more."

The piano played a little while longer. Then a voice started singing a slow song that Robin had never heard. The voice was male, a falsetto, and it was beautiful. The piano playing was wonderful too.

The voice was singing a song that reminded Robin of 'Memory' from that one musical...Cats...but was very distinctly different.

_I can feel the wind_

_Howling my name_

_I'd like to speak back to it_

_But what would I say?  
_

_'Hello, I'm lonely, help me out_

_I'm in the dark, there's no one around.'  
_

_Moonlight smiles, _

_And I wish it would frown.  
_

_I feel darkness lapping 'round  
_

_Daylight, couldn't come too soon, now_

_I can't stand the lamplight_

_It's just leading me on._

_My life, is going down, now_

_And I don't really care, how._

_I just want to run._

_*  
_

_Everything is a sign of hope_

_It's so unbearable_

_I wish it would stop_

_I know, this isn't the right way_

_To think, _

_But I don't mind._

_*  
_

_Moonlight smiles,_

_And I wish it would frown._

_I feel darkness_

_Lapping 'round_

_Daylight, couldn't come too soon now_

_I can't stand the lamplight_

_It is leading me on._

_My life, is going down now_

_And I don't really care, how_

_I just want to run._

_*  
_

_I'm pathetic_

_In my pain now._

_What do you think I'm doing?_

_I'll tell._

_It's very obvious._

_I'm giving up._

_*  
_

_Moonlight smiles,_

_And I wish it would frown._

_I feel darkness_

_Lapping 'round_

_Daylight, couldn't come too soon, now_

_I can't stand the lamplight_

_It is leading me on._

_My life, is going down now_

_And I don't really care, how_

_I just want to run._

_*  
_

_But I can't do that_

_In the dark._

_Won't the moonlight_

_Just let me away?_

_And let me be alone for once._

_And be disguised._

_*  
_

_La, la, la_

_A-a-a-a-ahhh..._

A few chords followed, and then the song ended. Robin was in awe.

Gar knocked on the door lightly, and without waiting for an answer, came in.

Inside was a little girl and boy. The girl was very thin, but pretty, with long strawberry blond hair held back by a butterfly pin. Her light blue eyes twinkled.

The boy was also, though Robin hated to say it, pretty. His eyes were very green and hypnotic and he was frail-looking.

Joey's eyes widened and, as Tara stood up, he inconspicuously slid behind her, hiding.

"Hi! I'm Tara Markov!" The girl intoned brightly in an accented voice. Then she turned to the boy, as though telling him 'come on, get up there'.

The boy cleared his throat. "Hello. My name is Joseph Wilson. We're both ten years old, in case you wanted to know." He motioned Tara.

So Joseph (or 'Joey' as Gar had called him) had sung the song. He had a beautiful voice, even speaking, like paper. It was far more soulful when he sang, of course, as was to be expected.

"I'm Radu Grayson. Call me Robin."

"Cool!" That was Tara again.

"So...did you guys write the song?"

"Yes. It was just Joey and me. And Raven helped with the piano and last verse. But I did most of the piano and Joey most of the song writing, when we were seven."

"Raven? And, wait, _seven_?"

"Yeah, Raven, from school. You know her. I met her a couple of years ago. She comes over here a lot. It's a long story. And both Joey and Tara are prodigies. It's really weird. But it's really obvious if you talk to them for, like, five minutes."

Robin had thought Gar and Raven had met each other at the beginning of the year. He could barely imagine them friends without the prodding of others.

Never judge a book by it's cover, obviously.

* * *

And hour later and Robin was starstruck. What a great group of kids! There were very few, he had met all of them already: Jinx, Tara, Joey, Mal, Garth, Roy, and Gar.

They were a dynamic, strange group.

As he walked away, he wished they weren't orphans. They were going to get somewhere, he knew. Joey and Tara with their collaborative act. Mal with his jazz. Garth with swimming. Roy with running.

But they would all have to overcome more obstacles than normal, because they were orphans, and the big thing was that they weren't adopted.

Robin hoped they never were, just so they wouldn't have to be like him or live like him.

_Ever_.

* * *

Next chapter: Let's just say there's some conflict with the Man, Victor and Robin bond, there is chemistry between Gar and Raven, and romance between our dear Kori and Robin ensues. It's going to be a packed chapter.


	8. Chapter 7: Home Life

**Forever Wounded**

This chapter: Conflict with the Man, Victor and Robin bonding, and CHEMISTRY!!!

_**Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers. Everybody should take an example from them.**_

* * *

Robin kicked a stone down the sidewalk, stalling, wishing he didn't have to go to his house. He wasn't in the mood.

He inhaled and exhaled shallowly, preparing to bolt inside and into his room as quietly as he possibly could. He hoped he would be able to, or, even better, the Man wouldn't be at the house yet. He hoped, but he knew it probably wouldn't be so. Of all the luck in the world, Robin's had to be so awful that of all of the people who could have a adopted him, he got stuck with a alcoholic/freaky/pure evil/over-the-top _child abuser_.

Not that he was a child anymore, or anything.

He sulked silently, pondering his awful luck before he got ready to walk in to his house, and he bolted.

...And ran straight into somebody...

And since there was nobody living in the house of truth, evil, and possible death if any of this 'abuse' stuff advanced, but him and the man, he knew exactly who he ran into, and had practically handed his head to the Man on a silver platter.

"Shit." He muttered, frowning, still unable to comprehend just how drastically awful this situation was, until he turned to the other organism in front of him and saw pure hell burning in the pits of his eyes.

...Of course, the glass bottle clutched in his hand helped the image of pure terror incarnate.

Robin barely felt the first backhanded slap snap his head to one side.

But he did, indeed, feel the punch, right on his sunglasses which, of course, since it seemed they were cheaper than he had thought, snapped on impact.

There he did cry out in pain.

Blood dribbled down the large scratches below his eyes, making it seem as though he was crying tears of blood. He wished he had recorded how that looked on paper, if he had been thinking about how awesome blood-tears were at the moment. Which he wasn't. Because he was freaking out.

He felt a gigantuan hand grasp onto his hair, pulling it and his head, up.

Tears of pain sprung to his eyes, but he was far too stubborn to allow them to fall. He didn't want a repeat of that other incident...he didn't _deserve_ any of this.

He struggled away, but the Man's overgrown nails caught his face, ripping away some skin. He cried out again.

He wanted to get away.

As he felt the pain grow just a bit larger, he bit the Man's hand. The Man let out a wolfish howl and let go, so he ran as quickly as he could back to his room, pressing his back against the door. Usually when the Man was drunk (which was pretty much all the time) he was less dangerous than when he wasn't, because he usually passed out before too much harm.

Robin felt new bruises forming on his skin, but felt too heavy to go put any medicine on them. Blood still trickled down his face.

He would take care of it later.

* * *

The next day he woke up bright and early, at almost 4:00, just to sneak outside and away from the Man.

He hadn't done his homework, he remembered, and since the school was far from being open, he sat down on the front steps and did it, quickly, hoping it wasn't too badly done. When he finished it was almost 6:00.

Since it was still far too early, he just sat there with his backpack in his lap, wondering what he could do. He had already memorized his part as Jamie. He hated that stupid play. Hated it. It was cliched and stupid and he hated his part, he hated all of the parts.

He lay his head down on his backpack as exhaustion set in.

"Hey. What are ya doin' here?"

Robin looked up with a start, bleary, bruised eyes hidden behind sunglasses to meet the small gray eyes of Victor Stone.

"Victor." He said stupidly.

"Yeah..."

"What are _you _doing here."

"Nothing, just came here early 'cause things at home are getting on my nerves."

"Same here." Robin lied.

"What kind of things?" Victor asked.

Robin froze a little, and then shrugged. "Normal kinds of things, I guess."

"Yeah. Same. My dad's been getting on my nerves."

Robin smiled a little, wishing he had a dad to get on his nerves. "The exact same thing's happening to me with my adoptive..." He trailed off before he could say 'father'.

Victor looked at him sadly. "You too?"

Robin raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Me too what?"

"You're also an orphan."

"Also?"

"Yeah. You know Gar Logan. I mean, of course you do. He's an orphan too."

"I know. I was paired up with him for a really stupid Life Skills assignment. We were supposed to go to another's house, sign a paper we had done it. If Gar hadn't wanted to be honest, I would've just blown it off."

"Yeah, so, did ya meet the kids?"

"Course. They're great."

"Yeah, they're all real talented. But I'm surprised there are two orphans in the group. And then there's Raven, she's only half-orphan, like me. She's also missing a mother. Mine died in a freak accident at the Lab where she and dad worked. I got pretty hurt too, but I pulled through. Kori's the only one with a full family, but she's got a bitch of a sister, her parents are never home, either. At least her brother's a nice kid. They're the only parents of another person in the group I've met."

Robin smiled sadly, seeing that the others' lives were far from perfect too gave him some sort of sick satisfaction. "Wow. I guess our group kind of calls to kids with bad family lives."

"Heh, yeah. Hey, dude, where are you from?"

"Me?" Robin looked at him in dismay. Nobody but a couple of teachers had ever asked him something like that.

"Yeah, you."

"I'm from Romania."

"Cool. When did you come here?"

"When I was eight or nine." Robin decided to withhold the information of how he had spent time in an Orphanage, or how he had been part of a traveling Circus that was comprised of Gypsies and runaways. And their children, of course.

"Oh. Was it nice there?"

"Yeah. I really miss it."

Victor nodded. Robin like the older boy, who told him that he had finally moved up to be a Sophomore after taking some tests.

"Wait, woah..." Victor noticed something. "How did that happen?" He pointed to the puffy scratches on Robin's face where the Man had hit him.

"Uh...it was a cat."

"A cat?"

"Yeah..."

A few seconds later, students began to run in, and they split.

* * *

Robin floated the whole day until History class, when the teacher handed out project grades.

He waited anxiously, but the teacher handed it to Kori, so he went to her desk.

She smiled her beatifical smile and showed him, brightly, the A+ they had gotten. Robin sighed happily, but didn't smile.

"Cool."

"Yes, cool! Thank goodness we have gotten the 'good grade' or my parents would certainly have been quite unhappy."

Robin didn't answer that, just looked up at her when she stood up, considering she was a good three inches taller. She smiled again, and he wondered if she was never not smiling.

But that was okay, he liked her.

"Would you like to go to the parlor of pizza with Garfield, Victor and I, because they were unable to convince Raven?"

"Um...sure."

"Wonderful!" She kept smiling as the bell rang and she ran out the room.

Robin smiled a little before he opicked up his things and left the class too.


	9. Chapter 8: It's Glittery in Lala Land

**Forever Wounded**

AN/ Hi, first update of the new year!

_LIGHT CHAPTER! SHORT!_

* * *

Robin sat down awkwardly at the booth in the Pizza Parlor.

Gar slid in beside him and looked at him, before saying what was obviously on his mind.

"Hey, dude, what happened to your face?"

"Oh. That...uh...I cut myself."

Victor gave him a look. "You said a cat got you."

"Oh, well, yeah, that too. A cat got me and then I...uh...fell...and cut myself."

He looked at the others' disbelieving faces before smiling awkwardly. "Heh..." He looked around for some escape. "Hey! Waiter! We're ready!"

A Waitress came along, cracking bubble gum and heavy with child. "What'll you have?"

Gar said it first. "Vegan cheese pizza!"

Victor gave his friend a disbelieving look. "No way. We'll have meat supreme."

"No! Sorry lady, my friend isn't right in the head. We'll have Vegan Cheese."

"No we won't. It's _my _vegetarian friend who isn't right in the head, miss. We'll have a Meat Supreme."

"No! It's bad!"

"It's not even meat! It's just processed junk!"

"It's artery clogging!"

"Do you even know what an artery is?!"

"I pay attention in History!"

"It's Science you idiot!"

"I am not an idiot!"

"Come on! It's for your own good! Maybe if you ate meat you wouldn't be so weak and puny!"

"No! It's bad! AND I AM NOT PUNY!"

Poor Gar would forever run from the fact that he was, indeed, puny.

The Waitress and the others looked at them, wondering how a simple Pizza outing could become a Greek War.

Robin decided to take measures into his own hands.

"We'll have one Meat Supreme and one Vegan Cheese Pizza, please."

Then he turned to Kori about the still arguing pair.

"Are they always like this?"

"...Yes..."

Robin felt his heart tug in a strange but not unpleasant way.

What was wrong with him?

* * *

After the disastrous Pizza incident, Robin and Company drove to pick up Raven at her house, because Kori wanted her to come with them to the 'Mall of Shopping'.

It appears there were plans Robin was quite unaware of. He wondered, just for a moment why Kori was so adamant on having Raven come.

Then he realized she was in a car and would later be in a Mall with three boys of differing sizes and questionable sanity. It was probably a very, very good idea to have Raven come along.

The car that Victor was driving stopped at a small, shabby house that reminded Robin of his own.

The four in the car trouped up to the house as Victor, seemingly the most responsible looking and charming, knocked on the door.

Only to have it answered by a huge man. His hair was long, tied in a ponytail at the nape of his neck, and he was muscular. To Raven he bore zero resemblance. He looked at the group distastefully. "What?"

A cigarette hung from his lips.

"We'd like to see Raven?"

"Why?"

"Because we want her to come to the Mall with us."

The man bared yellowish teeth in a smile and took some time in answering. He threw his cigarette, still lighted, to the uncarpeted floor and crushed it in.

"Okay then."

He took out another cigarette, lighting it and before putting it into his mouth, he called his daughter. "Hey Rave! Friends from school are here to see ya! They said something about the Mall!"

Another voice drifted down from the opposite side of the house. "What? I'll be there in a second!"

The big man looked over the crew of people, stopping at a very uncomfortable Robin. "Fight, huh?"

Robin pretended to be confused. "What are you talking about?"

Raven's father rolled his eyes and gestured to his 'cuts'. "Fight." He repeated.

"Oh, no. Not a fight. Just a cat."

He rolled his eyes again. "The old cat excuse? Ya seriously got nothing better than that?"

"What excuse? It was just a cat."

"Sure, kid, sure..."

Then he was stopped by a slim hand on his shoulder.

"Quit bothering him, dad. Robin, don't listen to what he says."

Raven, apparently in Friday night attire, wore a large blue t-shirt and somewhat baggy jeans. Her hair was pulled into a hasty ponytail, though it was very short and let many strands loose. She rolled her purple eyes, also the color of her hair, and sighed. "What are you doing here?"

"We wanted to go to the Mall, you know, get ready for the dance."

Robin started. "Dance?"

Gar turned to him. "Yeah, the dance. It's the first one I'm going to, and I need a girl!" He gave a ridiculous smile and stroked his blond hair back.

Robin stifled a laugh.

"I don't do dances."

"Please, dear friend! Come with me, even if you do not do the dances! Have fun!"

"No."

"Pleeeeaaaaase?! It would be most gratifying to have another female with me!"

"Fine."

"Yay!"

"Not too long, though. Dad, I'll be back at nine."

Her father shrugged disinterestedly and ambled to another room, bored with his daughter's life.

Raven glared at the group. "Come on."

* * *

Robin had never really been to a Mall before, and he marveled at how carefree and glossy it was.

He supposed lots of things were like that, right?

Kori, on some sort of sparkle high, whirled around the place, giggling and looking into stores that were, mostly, pink. Robin found that he didn't really mind being around her, with her trying on clothes, he commenting, as the others drifted off with instruction to meet at the food court at eight thirty.

It was actually pretty...fun.

She always looked great in everything. He didn't really get any shopping done, in fact, he didn't even look at any clothes not meant for the fairer sex.

He was, after all, a patient boy.

As he headed home, he felt his usual trepidation, but the tug on his heart was even stronger, and he finally realized what it was.

Happiness.

Huh.

Who knew?


	10. Chapter 9: Dinner Conversations

**Forever Wounded**

_Chapter Summary: The Dance comes and goes, but new feelings that come with it don't leave so easily. Raven has an enlightening conversation with her father.  
_

**

* * *

**Robin had begun to hate Drama.

He hated his character, because his character was too _much._

Too suggestive, too annoying, too not-like-him, too _much_.

Oh well. Jamie would be gone soon enough, along with Diana (a thought which sent an ugly pang through his heart).

Dr. Light, a few minutes before class ended, chatted with his students as he always did. Robin liked Dr. Light, even if the rail-thin man could be pathetic when he tried to be cool, he was a talented Director, and he knew his acting. Even if he couldn't act his way out of a paper bag.

"So, who here's going to the dance?"

Most people raised their hands, and Robin raised it, very slightly, tentatively.

"Anybody got a hot date?" That sounded weird coming from the young man's mouth, but several people raised their hand anyway. Including Victor, who had gotten a _smoking _date with a girl his age. Gar pouted. And Robin didn't care one way or another.

He still was trying to convince himself he was asexual.

* * *

During Lunch, Robin sat with his new...it pained him to even think about it..._friends._

The very thought of his cracked defenses made him want to crawl into a hole and DIE.

In a good way.

Then he re-thought that thought, and decided it made no sense whatsoever.

Then he tried to re-think the re-thought thought to make it a deep thought, which cause him to begin to think about the deep thought, which caused his cycle of thoughts to become very hard to follow.

He shook his head to clear his brain of the very confusing thoughts.

This caused his...friends...to look at him funny.

"Robin? Are you well?" The worried, fluttering voice was Kori's.

"Huh? Yeah...yeah..."

He waved her off without so much as a second thought, not noticing the way her face fell ever so slightly at being ignored.

"So..." Gar cut off the silence with his high, piping voice. "Are any of you going with somebody to the Dance?"

Raven let out a snarl, which meant _no, no way, no how, and keep me out of this conversation._

Kori beamed. "In fact, I have gotten invitations from most eligible young men."

Robin felt his heart drop.

"But I have rejected all of them, because I am not doing the liking of them enough."

His heart rose somewhere into his throat, which made him feel as though his Lunch, which was barely edible in the first place, was coming up, though the feeling was most likely phantom.

He blinked rapidly twice and swallowed hard to get the feeling to stop, and his heart and food returned themselves to their normal places.

Thankfully, nobody had noticed.

"So, Rob, how's the..._cat scratch._" It was obvious that Gar didn't believe it was the reason, but chose not to press it any further.

The 'cat scratch' had gone through rapid periods of swelling and bruising, and was not swollen anymore, so Robin's face was returned to its normal size, but the cut was still bright against the yellow bruising around it. And actually not at all unattractive. It made him look macho and tough, he thought. And others did too, obviously, judging by the looks they gave him.

It made Robin feel a giddy sense of power.

Victor had begun to rant about his date for the dance, whom he hoped would become a steady girlfriend.

Robin had forgotten the girl's real name, because she was called 'Bee' or, if they were going for something cuter 'Bumblebee' all the time, even by the teachers, he presumed.

He didn't really know, all he knew was that Victor, who was trying hard to get into Junior year, though he was more comfortable in Sophomore year that he had been for the first few months of the year as a Freshman.

Robin knew that must have mortified him, especially since Vic was so smart.

And where had Rob come from?

He didn't want a nickname for a nickname!

That didn't even make sense!

"Sorry, no Rob's here." He mumbled.

"Okay, okay, _Robin._ How is it?" Gar motioned to his face.

"Fine."

Gar shrugged and went back to ravenously eating his Tofu and fighting with Victor around a mouth full of food.

* * *

Raven sat quietly at the table, T.V. dinner befor her, her father on the other side.

She nibbled the mouthful on her fork and watched her father shovel the nauseating contents into his mouth.

Staring silently at the empty chair at the table and the cheap framed photograph, the face of the ridiculously pretty woman almost disfigured by fingerprints.

_I have to clean that photo sometime._

Arella Roth was Raven's mother, the person who had almost singlehandedly raised her until she died when Raven was eleven. Or ten. She didn't know.

Then she raised herself, her father helping out along the way.

Trigon Roth wasn't such a bad guy, simply a broken down man who had been muddled and jaded by drugs, alcohol, and the like.

Sometimes when he was drunk he said ugly things to her, but she took it in stride, if only just with the knowledge the man really did love her, even if it was only because she looked like Arella.

Then he spoke. "Y'know Rave...that friend o' yours? Robbie or Rickie or something or other?"

"Robin."

"Thou' you didn't like guys who got into fights."

_I like you well enough, don't I?_

"Robin doesn't get into fights."

"You believe that cat story, then?"

"Of course not. You'd have to be a moron to believe that."

"So, why don't'cha call it on 'im? That was a nasty cut, kiddo. He shouldn't be bein' cut like that. I had a friend when I was younger, y'know."

Raven became very slightly more interested, stopping completely tuning out what he father was saying like she did most times he spoke.

"Mhmmm...wasn't one o' the gang. Good kid, Jer was. Good grades. Didn't smoke or anythin'."

"What happened to him?"

Trigon shrugged, his usual motion, nothing but his usual disinterest behind his eyes.

"Died."

Raven didn't even blink. That was what happened to most of her father's friends.

But...

_He was a good boy._

"What happened to him?"

"Can't remember. Wasn't 'is fault though. Some'un got arrested for it. Parents, I think. Some kind of killing charge."

_Manslaughter. Jer was abused._

"Dunno why, but it hit me hard."

Raven could imagine it. A younger Trigon, about fifteen, hearing the news for the first time. _"You're kidding, right?" _She could imagine his tears, not beer-scented like usual, but just plain old tears, like when mom died.

"Your friend kinda reminded me of 'im." Trigon shrugged again, and said, almost to himself. "Nice guy, Jeremy was. Pity he died."

Raven went to bed slightly disturbed at the conversation. She did her best, trying to forget about it, but the words lingered in her mind. Good thing they did, too.

_Pity he died._

_

* * *

_The night of the dance was quiet and sombre, except for in the dance room.

Robin had left the Man passed out on the couch. He wouldn't be awake until sometime the next day.

_I hope he dies of alcohol poisoning._ The boy thought somewhat viciously.

He lingered at the sidelines most of the dance, except for a little while in which he danced with Kitten, trying for some kind of teenager hood. It just made him feel awkward, and he was glad when she left, clinging onto a big guy like her lifeline and making googly-eyes up at him.

A little while later, as he was watching Gar dance with another girl, awkwardly too, but looking like he was having fun, caught up in the ignorance of youth, and Victor, dancing with Bee, he heard a familiar voice.

"Robin, will you do the dancing of the slow song with me?"

It was Kori, and Robin, caught totally off guard, agreed.

"Uh...sure."

Kori's smile lit up her face, and she happily led him on the dance floor.

He didn't slow dance well.

Especially not to mushy songs with sappy lyrics.

But it was pretty nice.

Especially the little, friendly kiss she gave him at the end, friend to friend.

* * *

The next day as he talked to Gar, Gar asked him. "Hey, wanna go to the Dayton place after school?"

Why not?


	11. Chapter 10: Prozac and Pretty Girls

**Forever Wounded**

_This chapter: Robin goes to the Orphanage and has an enlightening talk with Joseph, realizing they have more in common than he thought. Then, something happens while walking home one day, something that leaves him shaking._

_

* * *

_Gar bounded through the door and Robin followed more cautiously.

"Hey guys!" He shouted, happily.

Some children ran to him. Robin recognized Jinx, Garth, and Roy.

Jinx, seriously, put a finger to her lips and mumbled. "Shhh! Tara's asleep because she's not feeling well."

"And Joey?"

"Joey's in the music room being Joey."

Gar translated for Robin. "She means he's either writing, playing the Piano or Guitar, or drawing. Or homework. That too."

"Oh."

"So, go around, look around, I'm gonna go see Tara." So the children and Gar went away, leaving Robin all on his own, so he went down the hall to where he had last seen Joey.

There he heard quiet mumbles coming from a room.

He opened the door and saw Joey, blond hair falling over his big green eyes and his heart-shaped face.

He was mumbling to himself absentmindedly, humming a little, lying on the floor.

He frowned a little, and then started in surprise and barely concealed fear as he noticed Robin.

"You scared me." He uttered when he had finally regained his voice.

Before Robin could answer, he said: "What happened to your face?"

Robin's bruise/cut/'cat scratch' had almost healed, but there was still a very light purple bruise on his cheek, upon which rested a large cut, no longer swelling, but still noticeably there.

"Er...cat scratched it."

The boy raised an eyebrow. "That's lame." He said bluntly.

"What is?"

"Your excuse."

"It's not an excuse, seriously, it's what happened."

"Of course."

"It is, kid."

"Trust me, I've had enough experience with things like this."

"Things like what?"

Joseph got up from the floor, resting on his knees.

"Fights." He stated simply.

"It wasn't a fight." Well, at least Robin wasn't quite lying.

Just...withholding the truth...

"Okay, I'll follow your story for a while."

They sat in an amiable silence for a short while.

Joseph had short, curly hair, and a heart-shaped, pale face. His eyes were big, green and expressive. He was very thin.

He went back to the picture he was drawing, a landscape with striking detail.

The atmosphere got tenser and tenser, until Robin finally blurted out: "Why are you here?"

Joseph blinked. Then blinked again. "Excuse me?"

"Why are you at this Orphanage?" The black-haired boy cursed himself for saying something so tactless.

"Because my mother died, my brother died, my half-sister's at some foster home-I've lost contact with her-and my father is who-know's-where."

_That was concise._

"Hm. How do you not know where your father is?"

"He disappeared. Some time ago."

"Oh. I don't have parents around either, just my guardian. My parents died in a freak accident when I was like your age."

"Oh. Well, having a guardian is better than not."

_You are so wrong._

"Plus, I don't really miss dad all that much. He wasn't very nice when he was still around."

"Oh."

"My mom died a year ago, I think. I was already here, 'cause she was in a mental institution."

"For what?"

"Shooting out my dad's eye."

"What?!"

"Yep. He hurt me really badly, or at least it was his fault. Dad wasn't exactly on the good side of life, then. I don't know what he was involved with, but I heard something about drugs. Anyway, when he and mom were out, some guy broke in, kidnapped me, and told dad that to save me, would have to divulge some kind of secret. The secret was obviously more important than me. I almost died. The doctor's thought I wouldn't be able to talk again, ever, but they were able to patch up my vocal chords. My mom rushed in in the end, and shot the guy who she thought had killed me, and then turned on dad. Shot out his eye. I was bleeding to death on the ground...almost unconscious."

"Ugh."

"Well, made me go to sleep with a smile on my face."

Robin almost laughed at that, almost.

Then he asked one last question. The boy seemed unhappy, so he didn't want to bother him further, but he had to know. "Why'd you tell me this?" True, it had made him feel much better about his life, in some sort of sick way.

And there was a distinct possibility Joseph had told the story to him for just that reason.

Joseph smiled slightly, chapped pink lips curling into a sweet smile. "I thought you'd understand, in some way."

Robin nodded. _I did._

Joseph smiled and went back to his drawing, a bit of a detached air around him.

Robin frowned slightly.

Though he had started to become awfully fond of the boy, something about the other didn't seem right. He shrugged off the feeling, and decided to go find Gar.

He headed to Tara's and, apparently, Joey's room.

Sticking his head inside, Gar and the others had obviously already left. Robin was going to leave with ninja-like skill when a young, piping voice said. "Hi, Robin."

Tara lay on a small bed, he butterfly pin gone from her hair so some of it fell over her face.

"Uh, hi."

"How's it going?"

"Fine. How's it going for you?"

"Okay. I'm not feeling so hot."

"I can tell."

"I know."

"I was talking to Joseph."

"How is he?"

"Good."

"That's nice."

"Mmmhmm. Seemed a little detached, though."

"He gets like that sometimes. It's the medicine." The girl wasn't thinking about what she was saying, half-asleep.

"The medicine?"

"Sorry, medication."

"Oh." Robin didn't push the subject.

Tara yawned closed her eyes, and went to sleep.

As Robin was exiting the room, he noticed a bottle of Prozac on the dresser.

* * *

A few minutes later he found Gar playing with some of the kids,

Quietly, he said: "I'm going...home, okay?"

After the others had said their farewells, Robin stepped outside. It was very cold, and he pulled his jacket closer around him.

But something odd must have happened, he must have stepped wrong or something, because a burning pain shot through his leg.

"Shit." He growled, remembering the Man's particularly hard stomp on it last beating.

It hurt so badly he had to stay in an alleyway, freezing, for a while.

When he was finally able to get up and go home, he noticed the Man was passed out on the couch, and didn't bother to wake him.

Well, it seemed that little mishap was ove.

But what would happen next time?

* * *

The next day, heading to school carefully, a slight limp in his step, Robin ran into Kori.

"Robin! Hello! I am most glad to see you, for you do not usually take this route to school."

"Um, no, I don't."

He didn't notice the tenderness and longing held in her eyes when she looked at him.

"Are you ready for the day of leaning."

_Hell no._

"Yeah."

She was pretty, so very pretty, he noticed, as her bright red hair fell over her eye slightly, and she brushed it away, smiling.

It almost made his spirits rise.

That was how great she was.

He smiled a little, not sure what he felt or was feeling around her, and reacted in the only way possible. "Um, I'm going that way." He said awkwardly when they got to the school, even though his class was on the side of the school he was going to.

And he ran.


	12. Chapter 11: Aspirin and Introspection

**Forever Wounded**

_This Chapter: Robin and Kori become closer, and Raven becomes this much closer to figuring out his secret._

Note: By the way, the story takes place in early 2006. That was around when Teen Titans was canceled, right? So, the TV show the girls watch would be in it's first or second season.

WARNING: Slight thoughts of suicide at the very end of this chapter!

AN/ This chapter isn't half bad...I especially like Robin's musing about the Man, hope you do too! And to the person who said that people who speak Romani aren't gypsies, I'm sure some of them are. And if not, people can suspend disbelief.

_

* * *

_Robin woke up a couple of days after he had chickened out on Kori, feeling unreasonably terrible. His wounds had been acting up, suddenly, all the time.

Bandages had been suddenly getting wet with blood in the middle of class, and several times already he had had to ditch classes, just to re-bandage his wounds.

It was a wonder teachers didn't notice it...most of the time what he ditched was Luch anyway, nothing important. He attributed his recent loss of weight to that.

Over a short period of time he had already begun to find a place for himself to fit in the little group his friends had sculpted. Not that they were making it hard or anything. Then there was Kori and Robin's ever-increasing adoration about each other. Which neither of them had noticed yet.

On that day, however, Kori had decided to ask him over for Dinner. ("It is the only way to welcome you into my life, dear friend!")

With her family...

Yikes.

He wasn't exactly afraid, because he had nothing to be afraid about, but would they notice he always acted strange? Would they notice the bruise that was almost healed on his cheek and the thin line of what would probably become a scar?

He hoped not.

Surprisingly, the dinner went extremely well.

The food was, however, not quite delicious, some kind of recipe it appeared Kori's mother had concocted.

Her father seemed interested in him, and so did her mother.

They looked at him in such a way that he could already heard the later to come exclamations of 'Oh Koriand'r! He's such a nice boy!'...It embarrassed him, but made him want to smile too. Ryand'r, Kori's younger brother, didn't quite seem fond of him, it was as though he didn't care much for him at all.

Finally came Koma, who never was called by her real name, Komand'r.

She was beautiful like Kori, but in a definitely more sinister way...what really bothered Robin about her, though, was that it seemed she was very interested in him.

He was, after all, a handsome boy.

However, he was not interested in her, and made that known by any means necessary, including not paying any attention to her whatsoever. She seemed somewhat angry at him for that, but later decided to return his disinterestedness. And he thought he had gotten the Koma problem off of his shoulders before it even began.

(He hoped.)

* * *

Later that night, he watched some television with Kori, as she flipped through soap operas, he couldn't remember ever feeling so comfortable.

It was a nice feeling, he mused, as he stole another look to Kori. He hair was flipped over one shoulder and she was giggling at a particular scene on a goofy sitcom. Her face was flushed, and her eyes scrunched in the cutest way when she laughed.

She met his eyes, and smiled, just as the news came on, and Robin wanted to kiss her...

Before he heard two words that could snap him out of any stupor he was in. "...Bruce Wayne," The newscaster was beginning to say.

Robin snapped to attention, eyes wide, and pushed up his sunglasses as far as they could go, saying to Kori, urgently, "Turn up the volume."

Kori obeyed, slightly puzzled but glad to be there with him.

The newscaster was already at the part of..."has been ready to launch a new product, all of the earnings will go to Romanian orphanages..."

Kori smiled. "How nice!"

Robin silently agreed as the newscaster began to show his former adoptive father's face.

_He looks the same. A little older...but the same._

He pulled his long sleeve over his wrist in a subconscious motion.

Kori looked at where the motion came from, and was not surprised to see a purple-red bruise. Robin always had some bruises, especially on his hands, that nobody paid much attention to. But suddenly she felt they should, and filed the bruises away in her memory to talk about with somebody.

Perhaps Victor, or Raven.

Probably Raven. She seemed to have some sort of understanding about him.

But then she looked at Robin, smiling secretly. He looked less tense than he ever had, watching the people on television.

She liked him like that.

* * *

Later that night, at about 10:00 pm, Robin realized he had to read, saying good-bye to Kori ("I'll see you tomorrow.") and her family ("Thank you for having me.")

He exchanged a final smile with Kori as he walked out the door, and she returned it eagerly.

The door closed behind him, and it was only then that Robin realized he did not want to go back to his house.

He did anyway, of course.

The Man was passed out on the couch, breathing in and out silently. Robin looked at his ashen face, and wondered how it would have been if things had worked out differently. The Man, sans the alcoholism and brutality. He probably wouldn't be such a nice man, Robin thought, and he wandered into his room and lay on his bad, but it certainly would have worked out better.

He knew the only reason he put up with him was that without him he would truly feel alone. He needed somebody dependent on him, he needed somebody who would always be there when he got to the house at night.

Most of all, Robin put up with the Man because of what he could have been.

* * *

Raven didn't know how she had gotten to Kori's house, late one Sunday a couple of day's after Robin and Kori's meeting.

Kori looked at her intently, and Raven looked back.

They had chatted, watched a little TV (medical dramas, always...Raven hated sitcoms) and talked some more, and at that point House, M.D. (the girls' favorite medical drama, except Kori didn't like House because he was mean) was playing softly in the background.

Kori opened her mouth and said, loudly: "Why is Robin always bruised?"

Raven was startled that Kori had noticed the bruises on the boy. She seemed too naive to really ay much attention to them. "They are always around his wrists."

"I really don't know, Kori. He obviously doesn't want to talk about it. We'll confront him when we know more about him, though."

Raven knew that Kori knew Robin better than everybody else, and also that the two had a crush on each other.

But they would figure it out on their own time, just like Robin would tell them about his mysterious injuries in his.

Raven was a proactive person, but she didn't like snooping in other peoples' business.

The girls watched the show late into the night.

* * *

The next day, at Lunch, Robin ate nothing, armed with the excuse that he wasn't feeling well.

He really wasn't, so that was what he told the others in his little group of friends who asked "Hey, what's going on?"

* * *

Later that night, he looked in the cupboard in the bathroom, when the Man was already passed out because his drinking was getting worse, and took out a bottle of Aspirin.

For one quiet moment, he wondered how it would be to just swallow the whole bottle of pills, and then lay in his bed for one last sleep.

It sounded wonderfully tempting, but suddenly Robin realized what he was thinking about, took two Aspirins, and then went to his room and passed out.

But not for the last time.


	13. Chapter 12: A Highly Awkward First Date

**Forever Wounded**

_This Chapter: The story finally gets a move on into it's final stages and Robin's relationship with Kori FINALLY goes to the next step. This chapter goes by pretty quickly. And the last part is practically set to 'Wonderful Tonight' by Eric Clapton. I just noticed how much like the song it is.  


* * *

_It was about a month after Robin's first suicidal thoughts that things suddenly started to get nastier at his house.

For some reason, the man was unreasonably angry with him all the time. He just didn't understand what was going on. The Man had always been brutal, but he seemed to be taking things further and further.

For the very first time since he had first been adopted, Robin seriously began to fear for his life.

And also for the first time since he had been adopted by the Man, Bruce Wayne began to seriously want his child back.

Things were getting complicated, his secrets were getting harder to hide, and things were finally spinning out of control.

* * *

One day after school, Robin heard a voice behind him. "Robin. We need to talk."

Robin turned around. "Raven? What's up?"

"We've been wondering...where do you get those bruises?"

"What bruises?"

"Don't play dumb. The forever-present bruises around your wrists."

"My wrists?"

"Come on, Robin. You aren't helping here. Where do you get them? Do you get into fights or something?"

Robin stayed quiet.

"How do you expect us to help you if you won't cooperate or tell us anything?"

Robin's eyes narrowed behind his sunglasses and he spat out. "I don't want your help, Raven. I'll see you tomorrow. Just stay out of my business and we'll get along fine."

Raven let him walk away.

* * *

A couple of weeks after that, Raven was getting closer and closer to figuring things out. And it seemed that so was everybody else, watching him. It was making him seriously uncomfortable as things began to get harder to keep under wraps.

But throughout that time, he and Kori were getting closer and friendlier...something happened to him around her, something not entirely unpleasant.

He was coming over to her house more and more often.

He felt welcome there, except for the problem of Koma. But he regarded her as a minor annoyance.

And at school, performance day came and came nearer.

Robin was relieved. He never, ever wanted to be in a play again. It was way too much work, and way too much hassle.

* * *

The day of the performance, about two weeks later, dawned.

The costumers were frantic, running around and trying to do kast minute fittings, and Dr. Light was nearly hysterical with anxiety. He had always been an excitable man.

Robin had made sure to practically douse himself with concealer. It gave him a slightly fake look, but it hid all of his bruises rather well. His bandages were thought to be costumes by everybody, and he made sure to be very helpful so nobody came around to adjust his costume and notice all the make-up he had on.

Out in the stands, he recognized Kori's family, several teachers, Victor's dad, and several children from the Orphanage, as well as the owner of the Orphanage and care-taker of the children.

Eventually, the play started, and he waited almost anxiously as Jamie's former girlfriend sang about how she couldn't love him.

The whole thing was absurdly cheesy, he thought.

Finally, he got to his cue.

And just when he got out onto the stage, he felt one of his legs, covered in bruises and rather badly cut, give way under him.

_The show must go on._

He treated the occurrence as if it was part of the play, and all the rest of them too, as the opening chords of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' filled his mind.

_The show must go on._

It was almost as though he was watching, completely detached, as Jamie crooned, as Diana charmed the audience with her wit, as Season and Winter had their funny duet, it all seemed like one big dream.

He was just watching.

When the play finished, after having gone by so very quickly, in some sort of feverish haze, he took a bow with the rest of the cast.

He left right after he changed out of his costume.

_The show must go on._

Only two good things came out of the whole messy experience: the show was a huge success, and when Robin had stage-kissed with Kori, something in his mind had clicked, and he had figured out something about her...

He wasn't content with just stage-kisses.

He wanted real kisses, and real happily-ever-after's.

* * *

It seemed that Kori had come to the same conclusion about her feelings for Robin that Robin had. They were more than just friends.

Just being friends would have been a waste.

And that was why Kori stopped Robin as he left her home one day.

"Robin...do you think you would like to go to do the eating of the dinner with me?"

Robin stared at her dumbly. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I mean, the eating of the romantic dinner."

Robin blinked. "You mean...like a date?"

"Yes! That is the word! A date!"

"You mean...like you actually want to go out with me?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Believe me, already! Perhaps it would work out."

Every bone in Robin's body was screaming at him. _Don't! Don't take the invitation! You'll either get into a serious relationship or you'll break her heart! Neither is a really good choice right now!_

But his heart was telling him to take it. _She could be the one thing in life that'll make you happy. Do you really want to lose that? Do you really want to? You know you're just afraid of hurting her. _

_Be selfish for once._

"Yeah. I'll come. Pick you up Friday at...eight?"

Kori's face lit up. "Eight it is!"

* * *

Robin combed his hair.

He brushed non-existent dust off of his white dress shirt.

He examined himself in the mirror, making sure that there were no bruises showing.

He looked at his outfit, the shirt and the black jeans, and thought that in all, he looked pretty good.

He hoped.

Quietly, he tip-toed out of the house, past the sleeping Man on the couch, and shut the door quietly behind him, breathing in the night.

And finally, he got to her house, where she waited outside, smiling.

"Wow, Kori. You look really nice." He said awkwardly.

She smiled at him. "Thank you."

She wore a casual every-day dress that was royal purple with a silver sash around it and silver boots.

He suddenly felt intimidated.

She took his hand and happily led him to the restaraunt.

_The Black Cat. _What kind of restaurant name was that? But the place seemed pretty nice. The waiter got to them immediately, and got them seated. It wasn't a candle-lit dinner or anything, but the lighting was fairly dim. And rather romantic, actually.

_This is so stereotypical. Maybe that's a good thing, though._

Robin felt horridly awkward, as did Kori, the first half-hour. Then the food, which was pasta and actually quite good, came. He was glad the place was cheap, and that they were splitting the bill. Kori had insisted. He hadn't protested. He really didn't have much money, except for the savings he had stolen from the Man over the years.

He felt sore, and shifted in his seat uncomfortably almost the whole time.

They chatted for a while, about friends, and school, and everything that was going on in their life. Well, everything safe.

It was so jumpy and awkward that for a while, Robin thought it would never work out, all of the dating stuff, and by the time the dinner was finished, he had resigned himself to just being friends with Kori.

He wished that there was some sort of stereotypical dance involved with the stereotypical dinner scene, but the night seemed to be turning out less wonderfully cliched than he had imagined it to be.

But, Kori seemed intent on saving the budding relationship. "Perhaps we should go for the romantic walk in the park, yes?"

He felt slightly uncomofrtable by her use of the word romantic, but agreed to walking in the park.

Eventually, after they had gone circled the night park in the moonlight several times, and felt little, he turned to her and began to say. "Maybe this won't work out..." But she didn't let him.

"I like you very much, Robin."

"I...I like you too."

"Just because one time the date has not turned so perfect does not mean we should not try. I feel strongly for you."

"So do I."

The whole thing was turning out a bit better, as she did most of the talking. Her eyes were gentle and happy. She seemed genuinely happy to be with him, no matter how disastrous the whole 'date' thing was turning out to be.

Their first kiss fell into the disastrous category.

It was almost spur-of-the-moment but Robin practically lunged toward her, and pressed his lips to her, teeth hitting teeth with a painful 'clack'.

They drew apart, somehow feeling very victorious.

Robin flushed. "Um...I'll try again."

That time, it was better.

At least it wasn't painful.

(And that was how they became an _item._)

It seemed to be some kind of time of new feelings for Robin, because that night he felt the strangest _twang _feeling in his heart, one that he couldn't quite place.

(Love.)


	14. Chapter 13: The Fight or Flight Reflex

**Forever Wounded**

_This Chapter: The story moves very, very quickly into it's final stages. In this chapter, something amazing happens.  
_

AN/ I'm trying to pace the story, but it might move a bit quickly, because I'm slightly desperate to finish it. I hope you like this chapter though. :)

By the way, this chapter may be a little...jarring. Nothing too awful, but slightly sensitive material.

_

* * *

_School was going to be over soon, in just a couple of months.

A month (or maybe two) ago, Robin and Kori had finally gotten together, just like Raven knew they would.

Robin's home situation had been getting more and more out of control, despite the great way his social life seemed to be working out and how Kori didn't seem to notice him brushing concealer off her lips after they kissed, mistaking it for some kind of strange sign of affection.

Eventually, things were going to come to a head. Robin knew that, but he wished he didn't. He knew he was going to have to do something after his insignificant little secret was figured out, but he didn't know what.

He figured he still had time to figure that out.

He didn't.

* * *

Things came to a head one night.

The night started out perfect.

His relationship with Kori had been growing ever since their first date/disaster.

He had managed to figure out some interesting thing about her.

She hated black. She loved pink. She could care less about her sister. She got good grades. She didn't drink alcoholic beverages. She was the polar opposite of Raven...and so on. They were mostly little things, fascinating things.

She knew little things about Robin too. Things he could throw around without her suspecting anything, but that were interesting enough to keep her hooked on him. He was mysterious, and she had always loved mysteries.

He was from Romania. He was excellent in martial arts. He had been part of a circus when he was younger. His parents were dead. He was adopted. He liked his hair a lot, thank you very much.

_Little things. _

Robin would go out of his way to make sure that they would remain little.

But that night had been simple, relaxed, just a walk around the park, a kiss or two on a marble bench under the light shade of a tree.

He liked going out at night. At night she could only see his outline, and at night she couldn't see the concealer dusted on his shirt and the front of her dress.

That night all they had done was talk and laugh about small things, things that would usually have been boring if they had not been so intent on making them interesting. Robin loved that about Kori, her ability to make everything interesting...

But it couldn't last, Robin knew that.

All good things must come to an end.

He'd always taken those words to heart.

He had completely given up on his life being the happy rainbow life that he wished it would be. He had accepted that.

But he had really thought that that night, after kissing Kori good-bye and in oddly high spirits, that the night would really end well.

He had thought that by ten o' clock, the Man would be unconscious.

He had _thought._

He had thought wrong.

* * *

He loomed over Robin, obviously drunk, no emotion plastered on his face.

Just _there._

"Where've you been?"

"Nowhere. I was just going to my room..." Robin tried desperately to get out of the way of the angry person in front of him.

"Yeah. Right." The Man blocked him.

Robin froze, looking at him.

"You utter fucking disappointment." The Man spat out, grabbing Robin's hair.

Robin winced in pain, wondering where he was going with this.

"Some kid you are. Somebody to fucking love...didn't work with you...nah...should've gotten a puppy."

Robin didn't understand, and he had no more time to ponder the Man's strange words as he was slammed against the wall. Crying out in pain, his head suddenly felt heavy, and his hair began to stick to his face with blood.

He tried to pry the Man's hands off his shirt, but he never managed to as he felt a fist slam across his face. His breath choked in his throat and he fell to the floor, trying to take deep breaths and not quite managing to.

The Man fisted his hands in Robin's shirt and brought him up again, and Robin suddenly felt another flash of burning pain.

He looked into the Man's eyes, deeply, for the very first time. They were wild with rage and desperation. His sunglasses fell off of his face and clattered onto the ground. The breath of his attacker ghosted over his face. The scent of alcohol was overpowering, and Robin felt a wave of nausea.

The Man was drunk enough to not be aware of many things, but not drunk enough to pass out.

Robin's body slammed into the wall time and time again, and he felt all the fight seep out of him. His body felt heavy and blood was pouring from numerous gashes upon his face.

He was just about ready to give up and let himself _die_ and was welcoming the relief, when something strange happened. Liquid was pouring down the Man's face. Sweat. The Man dropped him as he massaged his chest lightly.

"I feel weird..." He mumbled.

Suddenly spasming with pain, he fell to the ground.

Robin just watched.

And watched.

And watched, in shock.

It was when the Man fell on the ground and began breathing shallowly when Robin realized what was going on.

"Shit. He's having a heart attack."

Barely conscious himself, Robin crawled towards the phone, and did the thing he should have done years ago, and not even for him.

He called 9-1-1.

His hands shook as he answered the operator.

He breathed out his adress, fighting to stay conscious.

"He's had a heart attack...he's not breathing well...he'd been drinking...and beating up on me, but that's not important."

Apparently it was, because the operator asked about that too.

"Look...just send a fucking ambulance..."

That was all he could get out before he dropped to the ground, vomited, and fell onto his knees next to the Man.

He floated in and out of consciousness, adrenaline being the only thing that was honestly keeping him going.

The paramedics arrived five minutes later.

Only to find the boy unconscious.

The Man was already dead.


	15. Chapter 14: The Grand Finale

**Forever Wounded**

_This Chapter: The story comes to a close. Beware the angst in the beginnnig and the shameless fluff in the end._

_

* * *

_

_He was breathing. He knew that._

_In, out, in, out._

_He tried to wake himself, only to find that he couldn't._

_...In, out, in, out._

_He had to wake up, somehow._

_But for now, all he could do was lay and listen._

_

* * *

_

_Raven_

"Well, Robin. I was going to confront you about this, sometime. I was an idiot."

...

"I was stupid, because I thought this was some problem that could fix itself. I told myself never to jump to conclusions. But it seems I should have, or you wouldn't be in this situation."

...

...

...

"I guess I'm trying to say I'm sorry. Sorry for not jumping to conclusions."

* * *

_Gar_

"You know, I'm mad at you. Don't think I'm not mad at me too, because that isn't true, but I'm really, really mad at you! You were stupid, there's no other way to describe what you were but stupid. I mean, seriously. Apparently this dude who'd been beating up on you had been doing that for a long time."

...

"I...I'm still lost on why you didn't tell anybody. I mean, you could've saved yourself the pain. A...and...you're gonna hate me for saying this, but you could've saved _him_ the pain too. That guy...who died. The doctor's don't know how long you're going to be out, but you'll wake up in a little while. He...he's never waking up."

...

"You couldn't say I care all that much. This whole thing is his fault. I don't even know why he adopted you. I guess nobody ever will. I guess it's easier this way, right? No trials. No court...except for maybe...y'know..."

...

...

...

"Foster Care stuff."

...

"Damn. I wish I had a good joke. Lighten the modd. I'll hit the library after this, I guess."

* * *

_Victor_

"You know, kid, you confuse me. I'm still not sure why you didn't just walk away from that dude a long, long time ago."

...

"I don't really understand."

...

"I'd try, but you're sorta not conscious now. Wow. That joke fell flat. I really don't have much to say."

...

"Mhmm...lemme think..."

...

"Wake up soon. We'll be waitin'."

* * *

_The Orphans and Joseph as Represented by Joseph_

"Hi Robin. It's Joey. I was the only one allowed in. I'm the quietest. You've upset everybody at Dayton, they really liked you. Jinx cried. So did Tara. Roy and Garth were upset. I suppose I was too. They all tell you to wake up very soon."

...

"I kind of get how it was, with you're dad and all. Well...he wasn't really you're dad, was he? Just some guy who adopted you for a reason I guess we'll never know."

...

"Gar didn't want to tell me about what happened to you at first. I heard him talking about it with Tara. I guess he thought it would make me more depressed."

...

"It made me sad, but not more clinically depressed than I already am. I'm stronger than I look, Robin."

...

"I'm sure you are too."

* * *

_Kori_

"Oh _Robin._ I am so worried. Why did you not tell me that these things were happening to you in your home? I do not understand. We certainly could have helped you! I feel almost disappointed."

...

"This explains so many things. You did not believe I noticed, but I am well-versed in the art of make-up. You put it on very badly."

...

"We...your friends...had talked about this before. We meant to confront you, but we never got the chance."

...

...

...

"We...are all sorry. Especially me. Wake soon."

...

"I feel so very childish, crying like this! Wake soon so I can do something other than cry. I'm not an unhappy person, Robin. Being so upset is very draining."

...

"I love you."

* * *

_Bruce Wayne_

"Ah...hello. You look rather different than the last time I saw you. It's been years. I don't often feel this way, Radu, but I feel very guilty. I was so caught up in everything that was happening in my life back then that I barely even cared when you were taken away. I've noticed since then that it's silent without. You were with me for...what?...a year? Less. The media barely caught on to the fact that you were there. I haven't forgotten about you, but there certainly were times when I almost did.

"It's easy to forget faces and people. But I never completely forgot about you. Just a while ago, I tried to find you again. It was rather hard. You'd been adopted again and all. By this guy. I can't say I'm sad he's dead. In fact, if I didn't have more dignity than that, I'd be out there dancing on his grave.

"I saw you one night on the news. I knew even before they said your name and what had happened to you that it was you. It was hard to get away from my duties, but this time I did. I'm going to adopt you again Robin. It's going to be very simple. My lawyers are the best in the world.

"Well, you'll be waking up soon."

* * *

It was three days before Robin's eyes fluttered open.

_"Omigod! Omigod! He lives!"_

_"Breathe, Gar, breathe."_

It was an hour before he realized what had happened.

_"Oh god...don't tell me you guys know."_

_"We damn well know. Why didn't you tell us?"_

_"Well, it was more complicated than that."_

_"But..."_

_"Aw, Kori, don't cry. Here...I'll tell you the whole story. When I can."_

It was two days before he saw Bruce.

_"Am I hallucinating?"_

_"Comas don't cause hallucinations."_

_"Seriously, am I?"_

_"No."_

_"..."_

_"Robin...Robin...Radu? Did he faint?"_

It was a month before he was let out of the hospital.

It was two months before school ended.

It was three months before he left for his new home with Bruce.

_"I can't believe you're leaving. So soon."_

_"It's fine, Gar, I'll write. I'll write to all of you."_

_Kori threw her arms around him._

_"I'll be back, someday. It's okay, Kori. We'll make this work."_

_"I am sure."_

It was three months before he saw his friends again.

_"Wow, Gar. Did you notice how he's changed?"_

_"Yeah. He sort of looks happier."_

It was three years before he graduated.

It was five years before Joseph began to smile again.

_"Hey Robin!"_

_"Hi, kid. How's it going?"_

_"Great."_

_Robin turned to __Tara__._

_"It really is. I don't even think Joey notice the Prozac was gone today."_

It was ten years before Robin married-and guess to who?

_"Do you, Radu Grayson, take Kitten Moth to be your lawful wedded wife?"_

_"I do."_

_Just kidding._

_It went more like: "Do you, Radu Grayson, take Koriand'r Royl to be your lawful wedded wife?"_

_"I do."_

And they all lived...happily. Not exactly happily ever after.

There were still problems, there was still therapy, and Robin's leg was never quite the same again.

But...

It was as close to happily ever after as they were ever going to get.


End file.
